Martyr Ascalon

The holy Martyr Ascalon was born in Hermopolis the Great (Middle Egypt). The saint suffered during the persecution of Christians by Diocletian. Brought before the governor Arrian, Ascalon boldly confessed his faith and refused to serve the pagan gods. The saint foretold to Arrian that a time would come when he himself would confess Jesus Christ as the only true God. By Arrian’s order Ascalon was cruelly tortured, hung on a stake and cut with sharp instruments. He bore the pain in silence. One of the soldiers went up to the martyr and said: “Look, he has lost consciousness and is at the point of death.” The saint answered: “I have not lost consciousness; I unceasingly glorify God the Creator.”

Arrian ordered the saint to be taken to the other bank of the Nile, to the city of Antinoe, where he himself was soon to go. Saint Ascalon besought the Lord to stop the governor’s boat in the river until Arrian confessed Jesus Christ before the people. And indeed, in the middle of the river Arrian’s boat stopped. The oarsmen could by no force move it from the spot. On the saint’s advice the governor confessed Jesus Christ, but he ascribed the miracle to Ascalon’s sorcery, and when he reached the city he again ordered him to be tortured, and then had him drowned in the river. Saint Ascalon told the Christians: “Brethren, strive for the eternal crown of our Lord. On the third day you will find my body in the northern part of the city. Bury it together with the stones tied to it.”

And indeed, on the third day the Christians found the saint’s body with the stones tied to it and buried it as he had asked.